The statement that most directly expresses the author's thesis in the passage is:
- A. ''Real excellence often comes unheralded and from unexpected quarters.'' (paragraph 1, sentence 5)
<h3>What is a Thesis?</h3>
It is a document submitted in support of an academic degree which declares what one believes in and what one intends to prove.
Therefore, based on the Paragraph 1 and sentence 5, the Author of the thesis expressed that real excellence comes from unexpected places.
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The synonym that best describes a friendly competition is the word "Match: contest between two or more". Usually, the word "match" is used in sport games when a group of people or a team competes against each other to win a certain title. The word "battle" means war and already involves deadly weapons.
To do I think I hope this helps